Play2Live shows how to use P2P CDN for superior streaming results

Online videos, video on demand (VOD), Over the Top (OTT) services, video streaming — these are the new buzzwords as we have shifted to a “video first” world. Cisco predicts that by 2021 a million minutes of video content will cross the network every second! It’s said that more video content is uploaded in 30 days than the total content created by US television networks over the past 30 years.

And gaming and eSports are very much part of this worldwide trend. It is estimated that 9 billion hours will be dedicated to watching professional gaming by 2021.

Play2Live (P2L) is a start-up that aims to be a big player in the gaming and eSports market. It offers a decentralized streaming platform for streamers, gamers and eSports fans. It has added blockchain technology and monetization options that are unique in the streaming world and has moved further than anyone else to provide a great user experience.

To better understand just how unique this P2L offering is, it may be useful to look at the broader context of entertainment in the digital era, at some of the technical challenges that must be addressed, and at what the competition is doing.

The phenomenon of “fan-centricity”

A recent PwC report, “Global entertainment & media outlook 2017–2021”provides some useful insights. A major theme is that any player in the media or entertainment space (and that includes gaming and eSports), “…. simply cannot thrive without the economic, social, and emotional power of fans”. It is not enough to cater for “casual eyeballs” or infrequent users. Clickbait doesn’t work anymore. Brands must develop fan loyalty.